Have you ever truly contemplated what health costs? Really think about it for a moment. I am not just talking about doctor visits and medicine. I am talking about your physical health and emotional health.
Most of us think of health when we are lacking it. What about all those days, weeks, months, and years (if you’re lucky) that there is no lapse of health? How much is it costing us then? The answers are varied.
Health Insurance: such a hot topic. I am not here to discuss the politics of the insured versus the uninsured. My reason for bringing it up is because health insurance protects something valuable and it costs a lot of money. You insure things that are hard to replace. Your house, car, jewelry, electronics, ATV’s…etc. The government even insures your money! Why are we protecting these things including our health? Simple: these things are all difficult to recover once they are lost. We can live without these things, but our lifestyle would be altered. We insure our health so we can continue to live and recover if the unexpected happens.
Along with insurance, we have maintenance. Maintenance is important for all important and valuable things in life. The house needs to be cleaned and repaired, along with our car. We get routine inspections and protection against termites in our homes and engine damage in our cars. We go to the doctor for a physical once a year for a check-up, cancer screenings and blood pressure checks. What else are we doing for our health? Do we eat healthy? Do we work out? If not, we are missing that important maintenance of our bodies.
Think of your body like a car. If it sits too long, the parts begin to rust. The weather takes it’s toll on the outside. The engine is no longer being lubricated by oil and it is going to lock up when cranked. Did you know your body works the same way? If you sit all day and rarely move more than a few steps, your body begins to get “rusty.” The joints lose their “oil.” Ligaments, tendons, and the fascial coverings of your body begin to shorten and your joints lock-up when you try to move. We care about our cars enough to make sure they get the attention they need, but what about our bodies?
A gym membership is not expensive anymore. It’s easy to join, you just have to make yourself go. Maybe you need a little private attention, like a thorough “inspection” before it is safe to move on your own. That requires more time and attention, and that’s where I come in as a personal trainer and coach. Either way, you can spend very little now on your health maintenance or later you will spend more to repair it. The choice is yours.
Your health is expensive, but it is VALUABLE. Nothing good comes for free. If it does, it probably isn’t a sure thing. We must face the fact that we are responsible for our own health. It’s not up to our physicians or our health insurance companies.
Think about this: there are chronic illnesses such as diabetes that scientists have predicted there may not be enough insulin to go around for all those suffering by the year 2030.
It’s time we stop relying on others to do something about our health costs and we start solving the problem where it starts…with us.
